Manufacture of cigarette-type smoking media



Dec. 13, 1966 J. B. BOYER MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTE-TYPE SMOKING MEDIA Filed March 28, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JAMES B. BUYER Dec. 13, 1966 J. B. BOYER MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTE-TYPE SMOKING MEDIA 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 28, 962

DR/ VE FIG.

INVENTOR JAMES B. BUYER A ffwe/viy Dec. 13, 1966 J. B. BOYER 329119136 MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTE-TYPE SMOKING MEDIA Filed March 28, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

JAMES B. 80727? United States Patent Office 3,2l,i36 Patented Dec. 13, 1%66 3,291,136 MANUFACTURE OF CIGARETTE TYPE SMOKENG MEDEA James B. Boyer, 140 Cabrini Blvd, New York, NE. Filed Mar. 28, 1962, Ser. No. 183,235 17 Claims. (Cl. l3124) This invention relates to methods and apparatus for the manufacture of apertured or perforated cigarette-type smokin g media with or without filter tips and for the manufacture of the wrappers of such media. The invention further relates in one aspect to a method and apparatus for simultaneously coating and perforating or printing and perforating cigarette paper for the manufacture of perforated cigarettes. This application is a continuation-inpart of my copending application Serial No. 618,991, filed October 29, 1956, now abandoned.

It is an object of the present invention to provide improved methods and means for producing apertured or perforated cigarettes and the like and cigarette wrappers. Another object resides in the provision of methods and means for the production to rigid commercial requirements of integral perforated cigarettes, without filter tips and with filter tips, by uniquely simple production means. Another object of my invention is the provision of methods and means which are uniquely suited for the automatic production of a plurality of strengthened and reinforced perforations of desired size, shape and configuration in the wrappers of successively formed cigarettes. A further object is the provision for the application of strengthening or reinforcement material to a preselected area or areas of each of a series of successive cigarette wrapper lengths and forthe formation of a plurality of perforations in the reinforced area or areas of each wrapper length.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a perforated cigarette wherein the size of the openings is so selected and accurately controlled together with the number, spacing and location of the configuration of openings as to define a rather critical relationship for optimum results here achieved, but further to define a relatively small range of variation in the relationship permissible within the limits of relatively wide consumer acceptance.

It is a further important object of the present invention to provide a method of perforating the cigarette paper so that the size of the opening is strictly controlled, yet the paper is maintained in a substantially unweakened condition.

It is yet another important object of the invention to provide a method of simultaneously perforating the paper and printing the brand name or other indicia on the paper, which might include decorative printing for the perforations proper, in a manner to avoid requirement for additional manufacturing steps or attachments to the cigarette machine, and further to provide apparatus of a unique and exceptional order in design simplicity to obtain this desired result,

A further object of the invention is to provide a method, and apparatus to carry out the method, of simultaneously perforating the cigarette paper and supplying a substance to the area immediately surrounding the perforations which will increase the strength of the paper, substantially like a reinforcement ring, to prevent tearing or undesired increase in the size of the perforations and also tend to otherwise insure proper operation of the perforations for their intended purpose.

A feature of the invention relates to means employed to maintain the size of the hole accurate and to prevent undesired tears or weakening of the paper. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, I have found that when the paper is penetrated or coated by a slightly gummy substance immediately surrounding the hole, there is no substantial weakening thereof and the paper will maintain the shape as received in the machine; further, the hole will effectively resist tearing or crushing. Accordingly it is still another feature of the invention to provide a cigarette wherein the ink normally employed in printing the trade name of the cigarette on the wrapper is also used as the reinforcement substance. At the time that the paper is perforated and the holes are formed, ink is deposited around the hole thereby giving it at the same time an improved visual appearance and providing for adequate strengthening of the paper. The holes, themselves, preferably will be of such size as to be hardly discernable by the casual viewer. They preferably should be of such size that smoke is able to escape through the holes and yet sufliciently small as to permit effective transfer of the ink to the area of the wrapper surrounding the holes for commercially acceptable printing of the dot or other configuration in which each perforation is embedded. From tWo up to as many as six holes may be employed in certain constructions. It has been established by experiment that the range of from three up to as many as five holes of average diameter in the neighborhood of one hundredth of an inch is preferred. A representative hole size may be roughly approximated by penetrating a cigarette with an ordinary straight pin. The exact size of each pierced hole in the completed and printed cigarette is difiicult to measure. Its diameter appears to be a fraction of a millimeter, somewhat in the order of 0.3 millimeter.

According to the invention the intake of air and escape of gas or smoke from the cigarette is accurately controlled and optimum perfected operation is here achieved by the rather critical adjustment of the relationship of the plurality of variables here encountered including the number, spacing, size, location and configuration of the perforations. The optimum metered mixing of fresh air drawn in through the perforations as located provides for its by-pass of the combustion zone, for optimum filtration and for thorough distribution or admixture with and modification of the smoke, which includes volatile and tar substances of relatively high temperature. This is effected all as compatible with attaining an important commercial aspect wherein the identity of the flavor of any selected brand or blend of tobacco for the cigarette may be identified favorably or actually enhanced, as determined by comparison tests.

A metered amount of fresh air proportioned to each puff by the smoker is drawn into the cigarette perforations by a venturi-like action with a resulting cooler and milder smoke. Immediately following each puff a visible amount of smoke escapes from the perforations to rapidly act in promoting a cooling down and also complete the operation cycle of the cigarette. The invention is compatible for use with either non-filter tip or filter-tip type cigarettes. The location of the perforations and action of the fresh metered air together with the controlled escape of smoke through the holes will in any event be productive of an increased and superior or more beneficial resultant filter action and treatment of the smoke than otherwise obtainable in unperforated or incorrectly perforated cigarettes.

in the past, efforts have been made to provide perforated cigarettes of various kinds and descriptions; it has been suggested to perforate the entire cigarette and also to concentrate a plurality of perforations either at the mouthpiece end or the combustion end and also to perforate the entire length thereof. Production methods devised included attachments for and modification of the manufacturing machine proper.

The spacing of the holes, themselves, is subject to some variation. However, it is found that for the best modification of and filtration of the smoke, holes spaced and clustered within a region which extends from about the one-third point to the one-half point along the length of the cigarette measured from the lip end afford superior results. This leaves a substantial length of tobacco between the lip end and the combustion zone at which volatile substances, mixed with fresh air, can condense Without burning off of the perforations. It also gives a pleasing appearance to the cigarette as a whole and provides a convenient indicator for the optimum point at which it should be discarded.

The trademark printed on the paper may be combined with the holes pierced therein, or the holes may be so arranged on the circumference of the cigarette to con tribute, or itself be of trade name or brand significance.

In accordance with the present invention, I provide a method of simultaneously preforating cigarette wrapper paper and strengthening the area immediately surrounding the holes of the perforations, which comprises initially locating the paper intermediate a back-up support and perforating die. The back-up support preferably has a smooth but somewhat resilient or yielding cylindrical surface. The perforating die is of generally cylindrical sha e and formed with raised, conical pointed projections on its cylindrical surface, so that the projections will perforate by passage through 'the paper in a piercing action. Printing ink is applied to said projections to substantially coat the same along conical projecting portions as well as the pointed ends so that some of the ink-coated pointed projections indent, pierce and inwardly fold the paper to form the perforations and to provide a printed reinforcement area surrounding the perforations. Preferably the printing ink is of a color contrasting with that of the paper and each perforation will appear to be a small printed dot of uniform circular or other shape to the casual viewer. According to a feature of the invention, the die is provided with a plurality of projections that are relatively well spaced and preferably arranged in axially staggered, as well as circumferentially staggered, relation so that the perforations will not form a straight line of more than two holes which would extend directly across, or lengthwise of the cigarette paper, to thus avoid presenting a configuration which might unduly weaken the cigarette structure or have the effect of a tear-off line. It is found, for example, that arranging the projections substantially in the form of a V or an A gives both the desired effect on the paper and avoids any undue weakening thereof.

In accordance with the invention, the process of manufacture may be carried out on automatic high-speed cigarette machines, without however, requiring additional machine steps, handling, expensive attachments or machine alterations. It is accordingly another feature of the invention to provide an apparatus to carry out the above method which simultaneously perforates the cigarette paper and prints the surrounding area, and which comprises a driven back-up drum having a yieldable outer surface, a perforating die of substantially cylindrical shape located adjacent said drum and having its axis substantially parallel to that of the drum and being driven in synchronism therewith; means to feed cigarette paper intermediate said drum and said die, said die being formed with raised, generally conical pointed projections on its cylindrical surface; an ink supply; and ink transfer means associated with both said ink supply and said die to transfer ink from said supply to said projections to provide for simultaneous piercing of the paper by said projections and transfer of ink to the paper at the area immediately adjacent the perforations.

According to yet another feature of the invention, the die is further provided with raised printing indicia projecting from the surface of the die just slightly less than the extent of the conical projections, in the order of one thousandth to five thousandth inch, and the ink transfer means is so constructed and arranged that it will transfer printing ink to both the printing indicia and the conical projections to provide for simultaneous printing of the brand name or the like, perforating of the cigarette wrapper paper by piercing in a synchronized manner relatively free of inertia and also simultaneously transferring of ink to the area immediately adjacent the perforations for embedding each perforation in a uniform printed configuration such as a small dot.

The perforated cigarettes are preferably manufactured from an unper'forated ribbon of thin cigarette paper on a supply roll which is then perforated as it is being printed as part of synchronized and integrated high-speed operation which further includes the formation and tobacco filling of the tube and cutting thereof into individual properly filled and printed cigarettes in keeping with the rigid dictates of commercial requirements for conventional type cigarettes. The invention also discloses means which in obvious manner may he employed to preper-forate or preperforate and also print the thin cigarette paper ribbon as a separate step of manufacture and which also would enable a supplier to furnish perforated cigarette paper to cigarette manufactures.

Yet another aspect of the invention relates to the die itself. I have found, and experimentation has confirmed, that a driven cylindrical die, with from two up to as many as six, but preferably and rather critically from three up to as many as five stubby, conical and pointed projections of about one thirty second of an inch extending above the cylindrical surface affords fine results. Preferably the projections are arranged in slanted or irregular configuration, as in an A outline, to avoid presenting a line defined by plural and too closely spaced perforations extending transverse or longitudinal of the cigarette which may weaken the paper and cigarette to crushing, tearing or to serve as tear-off perforations. The brand name printing, or other indicia projections desired for printing only (and not to perforate) may advantageously be located on the die, although a separate printing die may be used. Such printing indicia projections should project from the die less than the point-s so as not to out into the paper or weaken the same.

The conical points themselves, while preferably sharply pointed, may be quite stubby, and an angle of up to 60 degrees at the point has been found workable. The optimum angle of the pointed projections depends to some extent on the material, texture and the resiliency of the surface of the back-up drum. The invention in one aspect accordingly contemplates a die for piercing holes in cigarette paper and for simultaneously printing and reinforcing the area immediately surrounding the holes, which die comprises a generally cylindrical body and a plurality of generally conical raised pointed projections on the cylindrical surface of said body.

In a broad aspect, the invention contemplates a method of manufacturing apertured or perforated cigarette-type smoking media which includes a method comprising the steps of applying reinforcing material to a portion of the cigarette wrapper length which is to contain tobacco, forming a plurality of apertures in such portion so that each aperture is completely bordered by the reinforcing mate-rial but is not covered over by it, preferably substantially simultaneously printing the name indicia on the wrapper While forming the apertures, then supplying a length of tobacco to said portion, forming the adjacent wrapper lengths into a continuous tube filled with the tobacco supplied .thereto, gluing and sealing said tube around the tobacco, cutting said continuous tube into separate cigarette lengths, each having a plurality of perforations and preferably also the name indicia applied thereto, and, if desired, attaching a filter tip to each said out cigarette length to complete a filter-tip cigarette.

Furthermore, according to the present invention each and all of the above steps of the method may be carried out by corresponding conventional sections or stages of standard commercial cigarette-making machines but modified according to the teachings of the present invention so as to provide the step or steps of forming the reinforced apertures as disclosed. Accordingly, if perforations are to be formed simultaneously with the application of reinforcing material, then this may be accomplished by modifying the printing section to provide a special die and back-up means as previously described. Alternatively, in accordance with the invention the apertures or perforations in each cigarette wrapper length which are to lead into the tobacco column may be strengthened by means of a separate layer of paper, or cork etc. which may be common to all of the apertures and which either overlies or underlies the apertured portion of each cigarette wrapper length so that each aperture passes through the dual thickness of such separate layer and the thickness of the regular wrapper material. Such separate layer may take the form of a patch or a band or instead it may constitute an integral inner extension of an otherwise conventional mouthpiece.

In carrying out such alternative construction having an extended mouthpiece, the ribbon of wrapper material is first passed through a preliminary stage or sections such as employed in conventional machines for manufacturing cigarettes have a stifli-ened paper or cork mouthpiece attached to the regular wrapper, this stage being adapted to paste onto the mouth area of each cigarette wrapper length of the regular ribbon, a respective length of mouthpiece material somewhat longer than usual so as to provide the additional mouthpiece extension which is to have the apertures formed subsequently therein. Such apertures may be formed by passing each piercing point of the special die through the above-mentioned dual thickness, it being optional whether ink is supplied to such points in this case.

In carrying out such alternative construction having a separate patch or a band as common reinforcement means for all of the holes for each cigarette wrapper length, the ribbon is likewise passed through a similar preliminary stage or sections but wherein the separate patch or band layer is pasted onto each cigarette wrapper length of the regular ribbon so that it will be spaced longitudinally inward from the mouth end of the wrapper, and, in the case of a patch 46, wherein the patch layer will have a width less than the width of the ribbon. Following the cutting stage, which is preceded by the stages for adding the tobacco and for folding and sealing the ribbon around the tobacco, there may be employed a conventional filtertip addition stage for securing a filter tip to each cut cigarette length to complete a filter tip cigarette, if desired.

It will be understood that each of the elements and steps described above may also find a useful application in other types of tobacco machinery apparatus differing from those described in detail. The invention, itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation together with additional features, objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 represents an overall perspective view of a cigarette manufacturing machine useful in carrying out the invention;

FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating the various stages in a cigarette-manufacturing machine in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the path of the paper through the perforating and printing stage illustrating the inter-section and combination of elements;

FIG. 2A is a diagrammatic view similar to FIG. 2 of a modification wherein reinforcement of the holes is achieved by a common sleeve or patch of stiffening material;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cigarette embodying the invention as produced by the combination machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the paper as it leaves the printing and perforating stage;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross section view taken on line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view of a filter'tip cigarette produced according to the present invention;

FIG. 6A is a view of a cigarette produced according to the apparatus of FIG. 2A wherein the perforations are reinforced by a common layer in the form of an integral extension of a mouthpiece of the cigarette.

FIG, 7 is a front view of the die according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the lines VIII VIII of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the paper showing the perforations;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the paper showing a different layout of perforations and a patch-type reinforcement which may be produced by apparatus of the general type shown in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the paper showing yet another layout of perforations in combination with printed and non-perforated dots.

Reference may now be had to the drawings and more particularly to FIGURES 1, 1A, 2 and 2A, disclosing a cigarette-making machine where the various stages in the automatic manufacture of cigarettes are indicated.

Unperforated cigarette paper 11 is supplied in web or ribbon form from the paper supply roll 10. It travels over tensioning devices well known in the art to a printing and perforating stage 12, described in detail below, the paper entering the stage 12 by way of idler roller 21. If cigarettes with stiffening-paper portions or mouthpieces 2 are desired, then as shown schematically in FIG. 2A an additional roll 13 of stiff paper or cork 13 may also be provided to be subsequently cut into discrete mouthpiece lengths and attached to the paper 11, prior to its entry into stage 12, at spaced intervals by mean-s of a conventional mouthpiece strip-addition section 7 so that a composite web 11 results.

After travel through the printing and perforating stage and out over idler roller 23, the paper web travels around an idler pulley, only the shaft 14, of which is shown in FIG, 1, and then is frictionally transported back to the left on top of paper-feed means such as a canvas endless belt, indicated by dotted line lit, the paper web carried by the belt first passing underneath a tobacco chute 15 of a filling section 15 where a controlled amount of tobacco is deposited onto the paper. The web with the tobacco on it then is led by belt 2% through a forming die section 16 where the flat web of paper with the tobacco on it is folded into tubular shape, along with belt 20. The folded web is pasted and sealed by a sealing section 17 to maintain its tubular shapev The continuous tube filled with shredded tobacco is cut into individual cigarettes at the cutoff section IS where they are then received and packed at the packing section 19. Sections 15, l6, l7 and 18, indicated collectively by unit 5, may be conventional stages employed in conventional cigarette-making machines, and similarly, their drive means and intercoupling means, including feed means 26 may be conventional except as modified in accordance with the present invention. Filter tips 4 may be added to the cut cigarette lengths, if desired by means of a conventional stage 9 between the cutting stage 18 and packaging stage 19. All stages or sections of the machine, including the driving pulley for belt 2%, may be driven in synchronism from a single motor 44. Filter tips may be added by additional manufacturing steps, if desired, in known man ner by machinery schematically shown. A die spindle 25 is adjustably mounted, as indicated at 32, for adjustment movement towards and away from the back-up drum 22. Mounted on the spindle 25 is a printing and perforating die 26, which will b more fully explained. An ink supply reservoir 27 and an ink feed and spreader arrangement 2:; transfer printing ink from the reservoir 27 to the die 26.

Referring now in particular to FIGURES 7 and 8 where the details of the die are shown, it will be seen that when the ink feed arrangement transfers ink to the surface of the die the raised portions 29 thereof will be coated with the ink. This raised portion consists of a printing section 30, which is arranged to print the trade name, trademark, or other legend on the cigarette paper. In order to perforate the paper, the raised section 29 is also provided with a group of stubby projecting points 31. These points project a slight distance d (FIG. 8) which may be in the order of one to five thousandths of an inch beyond the printing section 30 for the trademark. The die is brought adjacent the back-up drum 22 by means of adjustment 32 in such a manner that the printing section 30 will transfer ink and the sharp points 31 will penetrate the paper 11 to pierce the same so that when the paper is used later with tobacco thereon to form a cigarette, the cigarette will be provided with pierced holes 40 to permit it to breathe. Each hole thus formed is of the pierced type with an approximate cross sectional shape through the paper as shown in FIG. 5, rather than of the kind which may be described as punched out, or stamped out and which latter case results in actual removal of a small paper disk from the opening. Due to the piercing action, the size of the hole is difficult to ascertain; its width is in the range of a fraction of a millimeter, somewhat in the order of 0.3 millimeter. For printing a dotted configuration without perforating, or, as shown in FIGURE 11, for a combination trademark or other configuration of perforated and non-perforated dots, the nonpiercing projecting points, not shown, would obviously be reduced in length in known manner by the distance id-9 In order to prevent any unintentional tearing of the paper immediately surrounding the holes 40, a reinforcement is provided by the ink which is transferred to the points 31 as well as to printing section 30 and which will soak in and dry on the paper in the area adjacent the holes 40, as illustrated at 33 in FIGURE 5, or at 34 in FIGURE 9. To further prevent tearing of the paper during the perforating operation, the back-up drum 22 and spindle 25 and with it the die 26 are driven in synchronism with the paper feed by the main motor of the machine to provide for virtually inertialess piercing of the paper by the points 31.

Cigarettes embodying the features of the invention are shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, FIG. 3 showing a plain cigarette and FIG. 6 one with a filter tip added in conventional manner to the perforated cigarette. The area which contains the tradename printed by section 30 of the die 26 is shown at 35. The holes, themselves, are carefully spaced and are located in a cluster 36, which is located within a region preferably extending from about one-third to onehalf of the length of the cigarette up from the lip or mouthpiece end.

It was found that the size of the holes, number, spacing and configuration thereof, together with the location along the cigarette bear a critical relationship for optimum beneficial treatment of the smoke while retaining the identity of the tobacco brand or blend and for satisfaction to the consumer. Any such arrangement as here disclosed affords excellent distribution of the air admitted through the perforations to the cigarette during smoking and a most effective length of travel of the resultant modified smoke admixture through tobacco filler, or tobacco filler and filter tip (where a filter tip is employed) to the tip end of the cigarette. This results in optimum cooling, smoke modification and filter action resulting in increased condensation of heated vapors and tars for retention in the tip end section of the cigarette and elimination from the smoke with consequent benefits to the smoker. This condensation will take place either in the remaining tobacco or in the filter (FIG. 6). This distance is somewhat longer than the length which is customarily discarded after a conventional cigarette has been smoked. However, the cluster will be located adjacent the point at which the cigarette should be discarded without smoking tobacco which is saturated with condensation products as a result of the improved filter action.

While the upper limit of the number of pierced holes is six and more critically five for enhancement of or close identification of the smoke with the selected brand of tobacco, tradename initials or symbols may be outlined if desired by the use of non-pierced additioinal contrasting color dots of similar appearance as the outline of the holes 40 that are actually pierced and printed and as seen at 34, in FIG. 9. Some of these dots, preferably not more than five will be actually surrounding holes and will be pierced through as indicated by the pierced holes 41 in FIGS. 9 and 11. The remaining dots will merely be printed on the paper which will not be pierced, as at 42. The piercing and printing operation is such that should a heavy indentation or a slight penetration of the thin paper occur from one or even several of the added pins intended only for the printing of additional dots, then the ink reinforcement of the paper and acceptable nature of the printing of these dots so serve that adverse effects would be so small as to be negligible and not require correction of the die or rejection of the cigarette as not commercially saleable. Such very small pin pricks practically would be sealed or reinforced by the ink and be so small as to be incapable of visible breathing and the ultimate effect on the rather critical relationship of the actually intended number of holes or of their strength and size would not be adversely effected.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the paper 11 as it leaves the printing and perforating stage. Dashed lines 37 indicate the lines of severance in the further manufacturing stage, that is, the point at which the paper will be out later to form the wrapper for individual cigarettes.

In order to further strengthen the paper, an arrangement of holes which is staggered both lengthwise and transversely of the paper, that is, axially and laterally of the finished cigarette may be preferred. Such a modified arrangement is shown in FIG. 10, where five holes are indicated. Of course, if only three holes are desired then any two can be omitted. This arrangement is particularly desirable with certain kinds of very thin cigarette paper.

The finished article, namely the cigarette, embodying the features of the invention will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture even to the most rigid standards of a conventional type commercially acceptable cigarette product. In the preferred form, three to five holes are formed in the wrapper, and the holes are surrounded by deposited ink which strengthens the paper to maintain the originally pierced size of the holes and to resist crushing and prevent tearing. The cigarette according to the invention is manufactured readily and without any additional attachment to the machine shown in FIG. 1 merely by replacing the standard printing die with a combination of printing and piercing die 26, driven in synchronism with back-up drum 22 and which will not only print a tradename but will simultaneously pierce the holes 40 and deposit printing ink around the holes to provide for strengthening of the paper and maintaining the size of the holes during manufacturing, storage, use and handling. Thus for each cigarette, the rather critical relation of the size of each perforation with the other factors of number, spacing, configuration, location and strength to resist tearing or crushing is obtained in a manner to meet rigid commercial requirements. The method of manufacture according to the invention is inexpensive and can be accomplished without additional attachments, while leading to the desired results. The important part of the apparatus to carry out the method is the special printing and piercing die 26, with its short stubby points 31 projecting the distance d beyond the circumference of the trademark printing area. In FIG. 8 two groups of projecting points 21 and printing sections 30 are shown, because it is desirable that the die print and perforate two cigarettes for one revolution, which avoids excessive circumferential speed which might injure the paper. Key 38 insures synchronous drive of the die 26 with the shaft 25 and the back-up drum 22, while the adjustment 32 (FIG. 2) permits a variation in the pressure of the impression of the printing area and of the piercing points therein without undue wear because slippage between the drum, the paper and the die is avoided due to the synchronous drive. FIG. 2 shows one printing section in solid lines and another in dotted lines. The sec-nd section is customarily provided to afford quick change-over for various colors in printing. Additional sections for additional colors may be readily used.

In accordance with a modified form of the reinforcement feature, the present invention also contemplates a cigarette of either the filter tip type or the non-filter tip type wherein, instead of providing reinforcement in the form of printed rings or similar arrangements wherein the reinforcement material covers only a limited surface area of the cigarette wrapper immediately surrounding each perforation, the reinforcement material may be applied so as to cover the entire, or substantially the entire, surface area of the cigarette wrapper in which all of the perforations as a group are located, each perforation still being completely bordered or surrounded by reinforcement material. For example, as indicated by the area 46 in FIG. 10, the total surface area of the wrapper in which all of the perforations are located may be overlaid or covered with printers ink or some other suitable reinforcement material such as a layer of paper or cork secured to the wrapper, the reinforcement material being interrupted only where the perforations occur, each perforation in the reinforcement material being aligned with a respective different perforation in the wrapper. It desired, the reinforcement material may extend substantially or completely around the circumference of the Wrapper. In those constructions where the reinforce- 'ment material is paper, cork or the like, it may be integral with, or be an extension of, a stiffened mouthpiece 2, as shown in FIG. 6A, or a filter tip wrapper when such is incorporated in the cigarette. Apparatus for manufacturing the cigarettes of FIGS. 6A and 10 is shown schematically in FIG. 2A, and has been previously described.

The foregoing construction and methods have been illustrated .and described by way of example. It will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications are possible without depart-ing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cigarette machine for the production of perforated cigarettes comprising a main drive means; means for supplying cigarette ribbon wrapper paper, said supply means being rotatable independent of the drive means; a tobacco feed section arranged to supply and distribute tobacco to the cigarette ribbon paper; a tubular cigarette forming section including sealing means adjacent the tobacco feed section to form the wrapper with the tobacco thereon into a continuous tube filled with tobacco; and a cutoff section to sever the continuous tube into individual cigarettes; transport means to guide and advance the paper from the supply means and through said sections driven from said main drive means; a printing and perforating section intermediate said paper supply means and said tobacco feed section, said printing and perforating section comprising a back-up drum, a cylindrical rotatable perforating die located adjacent to said back-up drum with its axis substantially parallel thereto and positioned for passage of the paper between said die and said drum, said back-up drum and die being driven in synchronism with said main drive means, said die including thereon raised sharply pointed projections extending from the cylindrical surface thereof to pierce said paper; ink feed means for contacting said projections to provide a supply of printers ink for coating the projections to transfer the ink to the paper at the area of contact by the projections; and adjustment means to vary the relative spacing between the 19 die .and drum to control the projections in the piercing of the perforations and for the printing of the ribbon paper.

2. A cigarette machine for the production of perforated cigarettes comprising a main drive means; means for supplying cigarette ribbon wrapper paper, said supply means being rotatable independent of the drive means; a tobacco feed section arranged to supply and distribute tobacco to the cigarette ribbon paper; a tubular cigarette forming section including sealing means adjacent the tobacco feed section to form the wrapper with the tobacco thereon into a continuous tube filled with tobacco; and a cutoff section to sever the continuous tube into indi-v vidual cigarettes; transport means to guide and advance the paper from the supply means and through said sections driven from said main drive means; a printing and perforating section intermediate said paper supply means and said tobacco feed section, said printing and perforating section comprising a -back-up drum, a cylindrical rotatable perforating die located adjacent to said back-up drum with its axis substantially parallel thereto and positioned for passage of the paper between said die and said drum, said back-up drum and die being driven in synchronism with said main drive means, said die including thereon raised sharply pointed conical projections extending from the cylindrical surface thereof to pierce said paper, ink feed means for contacting said projections to provide a supply of printers ink for coating the projections to transfer the ink to the paper at the area of contact by the projections; and adjustment means to vary the relative spacing between die and drum to control the projections in the piercing of the perforations and for the printing of the ribbon paper, and said die including indicia-printing portions raised from the cylindrical surface but slightly less therefrom than the conical piercing projections for contact with the ink feed means to effect substantially simultaneous piercing and printing of the perforations together with printing of the indicia.

3. A cigarette machine for the production of perforated ribbon cigarette paper comprising a main drive means; supply means for supplying cigarette ribbon wrapper paper, said supply means including a spindle, paper advancing means driven by the main drive means; printing and perforating means intermediate said paper supply means and said paper advancing means, said printing and perforating means comprising a back-up drum driven from said drive means, a cylindrical rotatable perforating die located adjacent to said back-up drum with its axis substantially parallel thereto and positioned for passage of the paper between said die and said drum, said die being driven in synchronism with said drum and including thereon raised sharply pointed projections extending from the cylindrical surface thereof; ink feed means for con tacting said projections to provide a supply of printers ink for coating the projections to transfer the ink to the paper at the area of contact by the projections; and adjustment means to vary the relative spacing between the die and drum to control the projections in both the printing and the piercing of the perforations for the ribbon paper.

4. A cigarette machine for the production of perforated ribbon cigarette paper comprising a main drive means; supply means for supplying cigarette ribbon wrapper paper, said supply means including a spindle, paper advancing means driven by the main drive means; printing and perforating means intermediate said paper supply means and said paper advancing means comprising a back-up drum driven from said drive means, a cylindrical, rotata ble perforating die located adjacent to said back-up drum with its axis substantially parallel thereto and positioned for passage of the paper between said die and said drum, said die being driven in synchronism with said drum and including thereon raised sharply pointed conical pointed projections extending from the cylindrical surface thereof; ink feed means for contacting said projections to provide a supply of printers ink for coating the projections to transfer the ink to the paper at the area of contact by the projections; and adjustment means to vary the relative spacing between die and drum to control the projections in the printing and the piercing of the perforations for the ribbon paper, said die including indiciaprinting portions raised from the cylindrical surface but slightly less therefrom than the conical piercing projections for contact with the ink feed means to effect substantially simultaneous printing of indicia and perforation of the cigarette paper.

5. Apparatus for piercing holes in a ribbon web of cigarette paper, printing the area immediately surrounding the holes and printing a legend adjacent to said holes in one operation comprising, a cylindrical back-up drum rotatable about its axis, means for continuously supplying a ribbon web of cigarette paper to the surface of said drum, a generally cylindrical die having raised portions on its cylindrical surface including an indicia-printing section and a plurality of sharply pointed conical raised projections adjacent to said section, said die and said drum being positioned with their axes substantially parallel and their surfaces separated substantially only by said web, means for rotating said drum and said die in synchronism, and means for supplying ink to said raised portions of said die.

6. Apparatus for piercing holes in a ribbon of cigarette paper and for substantially simultaneously printing the area immediately surrounding the holes comprising, a cylindrical back-up drum rotatable about its axis, means for continuously supplying a ribbon of cigarette paper to the surface of said drum, a generally cylindrical die having a plurality of sharply pointed raised projections on its surface, said die and said drum being ositioned with their axes substantially parallel and their surfaces separated only by said paper web, take-up means and means for rotating said take-up means, said drum and said die in synchronism, and means for supplying printers ink to said raised projections of said die.

7. A method of manufacturing perforated cigarettes at a high speed and without operating on the formed cigarette, comprising continuously advancing a ribbon of cigarette paper between a backing medium and a rotatable perforating die formed with sharply pointed projections; applying a viscous medium to coat the projections of the die with said medium so that said coated projections contact and pierce the paper and substantially simultaneously apply said viscous medium to the area immediately adjacent the thus formed perforations; feeding tobacco onto said perforated ribbon of paper while theribbon is advancing; forming said moving ribbon into a tube enclosing said tobacco; sealing said tube; and severing said tube into cigarettes, the movement of the tube and the severing of the cigarettes being in synchronism with the rotation of the die to provide for uniform location of the perforations on each severed cigarette and for positive penetration of the projections into the traveling ribbon of paper as reinforced by said medium and without tearing the thus formed perforations.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the die further includes an indicia-printing section, including the step of coating said section with printers ink, and printing the indicia on the traveling paper as the die rotates in synchronism with the movement of the ribbon of paper to provide for one single step to print the indicia on the paper, to perforate the paper and to reinforce the paper in the area immediately adjacent the perforations.

9. A method of manufacturing perforated cigarette paper at high speed, comprising continuously advancing a ribbon of cigarette paper between a backing medium and a rotatable perforating die having sharply pointed conical projections; applying a viscous medium to coat the projections of the die with said medium so that said coated projections contact and pierce the paper and substantially simultaneously apply said viscous medium to the area immediately adjacent the thus formed perforations and to reinforce said area; the rate of advance of said ribbon paper being in synchronism with the rotation of the die to provide for uniform location of the perforations on the paper ribbon and for positive penetration of the projections into the traveling ribbon of paper as reinforced by the medium and without tearing the thus formed perforations.

10. Apparatus for manufacturing the wrapper of a perforated cigarette comprising supply means for supplying a continuous ribbon of cigarette wrapper material having a series of lengths each of which corresponds to the length of one cigarette, means for piercing a plurality of perforations in a portion of each said ribbon length which encloses tobacco, and means including a supply of reinforcing material for applying to each said wrapper portion said reinforcing material which completely borders each of said perforations individually to reinforce the wrapper material around each perforation but which does not cover said perforations.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said lastmentioned means applies a separate layer of paper to each said wrapper portion to form a composite ribbon, and wherein said piercing means subsequently forms perforations through the dual thickness of said wrapper portion and its reinforcing layer of paper.

12. The method of manufacturing perforated cigarettes comprising the steps of providing a quantity of reinforcement material, fixedly applying said reinforcement material to a portion of the surface of a length of cigarette wrapper paper corresponding to the length of one cigarette, piercing said surface portion of the wrapper paper at a plurality of points so as to form a plurality of apertures each of which is completely bordered by said reinforcement material but which is not covered by said reinforcement material, depositing a quantity of tobacco onto the perforated wrapper paper, forming said paper so that it encloses the deposited tobacco, and sealing said paper formed around the tobacco.

13. The method of preparing cigarette Wrapper paper for perforated cigarettes comprising the steps of providing a quantity of reinforcement materials, fixedly applying said reinforcement material to a portion of the surface of a length of cigarette wrapper paper corresponding to the length of one cigarette, and piercing said surface portion of the wrapper paper at a plurality of points so as to form a plurality of apertures each of which is completely bordered by said reinforcement material but which is not covered by said reinforcement material.

14. The method of manufacturing perforated cigarettes with the aid of a die having a plurality of spaced sharply pointed projections for perforating the cigarette wrapper paper, comprising the steps of applying a viscous reinforcement material to said projections, bringing said die into contact with part of a length of cigarette wrapper paper corresponding to the length of one cigarette so that said projections pierce said paper to form a plurality of spaced perforations in said paper and so that said reinforcement material is substantially simultaneously transferred from said projections to said paper to surround each of said perforations, depositing a quantity of tobacco onto the perforated wrapper paper, forming said paper so that it encloses the deposited tobacco, and sealing said paper formed around the tobacco.

15. The method of preparing cigarette paper for perforated cigarettes with the aid of a die having a plurality of spaced sharply pointed projections for perforating the cigarette wrapper paper, comprising the steps of applying a viscous reinforcement material to said projections, bringing said die into contact with part of a length of cigarette wrapper paper corresponding to the length of one cigarette so that said projections pierce said paper to form a plurality of spaced perforations in said paper and so that said reinforcement material is substantially simultaneously transferred from said projections to said paper to sur- 13 round each of said perforations and to reinforce the portions of said paper surrounding each perforation.

16. The method of manufacturing perforated cigarettes at high speed with the aid of a rotatable back-up drum having a yieldable cylindrical surface and with the aid of a rotatable die having a plurality of spaced radially extending sharply pointed projections for perforating the cigarette wrapper paper, the axis of rotation of said die being substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of said drum so that during each revolution of said die said projections come into temporary contact with said yieldable cylindrical surface of said drum, said method comprising the steps of advancing a continuous ribbon of cigarette wrapper paper over part of said cylindrical surface and between said cylindrical surface and said die while rotating said die and back-up drum in synchronism with the advance of said ribbon so that during each revolution of said die and before said projections make contact with said cylindrical surface, said projections first pierce said ribbon along part of a length thereof corresponding to the length of one cigarette, whereby said traveling ribbon is perforated in a positive and in a manner substantially free of inertia without tearing the perforations and whereby the perforations are formed at substantially the same location along each length of said ribbon corresponding to each different cigarette, depositing a quantity of tobacco onto the perforated ribbon, forming said ribbon into an elongated enclosure which is filled by the deposited tobacco, sealing said enclosure of ribbon filled with tobacco, and severing said enclosure into individual perforated cigarettes.

17. Apparatus for manufacturing perforated cigarettes comprising drive means, supply means for supplying a continuous ribbon of cigarette wrapper paper, means for supplying a quantity of reinforcement material, means for placing said reinforcement material on a portion of the surface of each length of said ribbon corresponding to the length of each different cigarette to be manufactured, means driven from said drive means for piercing said surface portion of each length of said ribbon at a plurality of points thereon so as to form therein a plurality of apertures each of which is bordered by said reinforcement material, means for depositing a quantity of tobacco onto the apertured ribbon, means for forming said ribbon around the deposited tobacco so that the tobacco is contained therein, means for sealing said ribbon formed around the tobacco, and means for severing into individual cigarettes the ribbon sealed around the tobacco.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,068,950 7/1913 Tirnm 931.6 X 1,157,754 10/1915 Benjamin 11837 X 1,393,524 10/1921 Grupe 131-95 X 1,393,526 10/1921 Grupe 131-95 X 2,684,117 7/1954 Wood 83506 2,924,223 2/1960 Miller 131158 SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

MELVIN D. REIN, ABRAHAM G. STONE, Examiners. 

3. A CIGARETTE MACHINE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PERFORATED RIBBON CIGARETTE PAPER COMPRISING A MAIN DRIVE MEANS; SUPPLY MEANS FOR SUPPLYING CIGARETTE RIBBON WRAPPER PAPER, SAID SUPPLY MEANS INCLUDING A SPINDLE, PAPER ADVANCING MEANS DRIVEN BY THE MAIN DRIVE MEANS; PRINTING AND PERFORATING MEANS INTERMEDIATE SAID PAPER SUPPLY MEANS AND SAID PAPER ADVANCING MEANS, SAID PRINTING AND PERFORATING MEANS COMPRISING A BACK-UP DRUM DRIVEN FROM SAID DRIVE MEANS A CYLINDRICAL ROTATABLE PERFORATING DIE LOCATED ADJACENT TO SAID BACK-UP DRUM WITH ITS AXIS SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL THERETO AND POSITIONED FOR PASSAGE OF THE PAPER BETWEEN SAID DIE AND SAID DRUM, SAID DIE BEING DRIVEN IN SYNCHRONISM WITH SAID DRUM AND INCLUDING THEREON RAISED SHARPLY POINTED PROJECTIONS EXTENDING FROM THE CYLINDERICAL SURACE THEREOF; INK FEED MEANS FOR CONTACTING SAID PROJECTIONS TO PROVIDE A SUPPLY OF PRINTER''S INK FOR COATING THE PROJECTIONS TO TRANSFER THE INK TO THE PAPER AT THE AREA OF CONTACT BY THE PROJECTIONS; AND ADJUSTMENT MEANS TO VARY THE RELATIVE SPACING BETWEEN THE DIE AND DRUM TO CONTROL THE PROJECTIONS IN BOTH THE PRINTING AND THE PIERCING OF THE PERFORATIONS FOR THE RIBBON PAPER. 